This invention relates to a method and apparatus for fabricating high intensity discharge lamps and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for press sealing a tubulated quartz arc tube body section.
High intensity discharge lamps having quartz arc tubes are well known in the art. The arc tubes generally have a tubulated quartz body having electrode assemblies press sealed at opposite ends of the body. It has been the practice to heat the sections of the arc tube body to be sealed with an even heat around the circumference of the arc tube body to a temperature that will permit the quartz to be deformed by a pair of pressing jaws to make the press seal. The electrode assemblies typically include a coiled electrode wound around a rod member which is affixed to one end of a ribbon-type metallic seal. The other end of the ribbon-type metallic seal is affixed to a lead-in wire. It has been found that utilizing the foregoing method of heating the arc tube body section insufficient quartz occasionally results in the press seal area.